Intermittent feeder



R. B. DOTY El AL INTERMITTENT FEEDER `July 23,1940.

s sheets-sheet 1 Filed July l, 1936 mgm EL. A @d NN, v

INVENToRs. HAY/140Mo 5. 007'? BY /TREO A /Po ss Y ATTORNEYS July 23,1940. R. B. DoTY ET Al.

INTERMITTENT FEEDER INVENTORS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 RAY/140Mo Si .007V BYE950 A. H035 .WN WW WN July 23, 1940 R. B. DoTY Er AL INTERMITTENTFEEDER l Patented July 23, 41940 UNITED STATES vPATENT OFFICEINTERMITTENT FEEDER Application July 1, 1936, Serial No. 88,462

l2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in intermittent feeders, that isto say feeders for moving Webs intermittently into a printing machine orthe like. The invention has utility in connec- 5 tion with computingmachines wherein several columns of figures are written one line at atime, particularly machines which are automatically operated inconnection with previously prepared control cards. In machines of thischaracter the web may be caused to move around a portion of theperiphery of an impression cylinder or platen roller. When such amachine is employed for billing and similar purposes it is necessary touse a multi-ply web, that is one in which there are' several paperstrips with carbon paper interposed between successive strips in orderthat a A number of copis may be made. Such a multiply web in travelingover the impression cylinder tends to be drawn out of register, becausethe inner thickness of paper is moving around a circle of lesserdiameter than the outer thickness. The present invention is directedprimarily to the maintenance of such a multi-ply web in condition tomake the printing on all copies fall on substantially correspondingpositions on the various plies.

One of the objects of the invention therefore is the provision ofintermittent feeding means for multi-ply webs which shall eliminatewrinkling of the webs and shall eliminate any substantial relativelongitudinal movement between the plies of the web, and shall preventsuch relative movement as may occur from being transmitted from one unitof the web to the next succeeding unit.

Another object is the provision of separate means spaced from theimpression cylinder for feeding the web through the printing Zone injuxtaposition with that cylinder.

Another object is the provision of means for -pushing the web throughthe printing zone, together with means for eliminating any looseness orwrinkles in the web between the pushing means and the printing zone.

A further object is the provision of feeding means for multi-ply webswhich requires the provision of no more than two perforations in any oneunit of the web, thereby improving the appearance of the units overthose in which there 50 are longitudinal lines of perf'rations along theedges of the web.

Other objects and features of novelty will appear as we proceed with thedescription of that embodiment of the invention which, for lthe pur- 55poses of the present application, we have illus- (Cl. IS7- 133) tratedinl the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevationalview of a feeder embodying the invention, shown in operative relationwith the impression cylinder of a com: puting machine. 5

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same.

Fig` 3 is a transverse sectional view on a larger scale, the sectionbeing taken substantially on the line 3 3 of Fig. l. y

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view on a. 10 larger scale, withparts broken away, the section being taken substantially on the line 4-4of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view of a fragment of a computing machine `withwhich the feeder 15 may be employed.

impression cylinder or platen of a printing or 25.

typing machine. This cylinder or roller is preferably rubber covered.`It is iixed upon a shaft II which has suitable bearings in the frame ofthe printing machine, the latter being indicated at I2 by dotted linesin Figs. 1 and 2. While the invention is probably susceptible of more orless wide application, it is particularly adapted for the feeding ofmulti-ply webs to computing machines which are Vautomatic orsemi-automatic in operation,.wherein a complete transverse line isprinted upon the web in a single actuation of the machine.

As indicated in Fig. 5, such a computing machine may comprise a seriesof type bars I3 arranged in alignment transversely of the machine, eachbar carrying a series of type I4 and being connected with a verticallymovable arm I5, the movement of which to various heights bringsdifferent types I6 into printing position. When the types for a givenline of printing are set, so far as theirvertical positions areconcerned, a series of hammers I6 arranged behind the type bars I3 aremoved toward the impression cylinder I0, causing the types of print uponthe web W which is interposed between the cylinder and the type bars.After each such impression the cylinder IIl is advanced through a smallangle in the direction of the arrow in Figs.

l and 4. This movement of the cylinder may be effectively accomplishedby a pawl and ratchet f* an mechanism, the operation of which issynchronized with the operation of the hammers I6. Since the drivingmechanism per se for the pawl and ratchet and for the hammers forms nopart of the present invention, and is known ln the art, it will not bedescribed herein.

in one end of the cylinder I0 there is a slightly tapered clutchsurface, serrated or otherwise roughened, with which a correspondinglytapered clutch Vplate I1 `is adapted to cooperate. The clutch plateI`1'Ii's carried `by'a short tubular shaft i8 surrounding-shaft |I`.Attached to the tubular shaftll'BT-outsldeio'f the frame there is acollar I9 Which'dfnay ber-grasped by the operator and pulled'out to"disconnect the clutch plate I1 from thegclitchsu'rface'of the'cylinder, coil springs 2U beingrthereby compressed.y vWhen the collar |9is released the springs' 20 lreturn the clutch elements-toengagingposition. A ratchet wheel 2| is 4slidahly keyed to the tubular shaft I8.When it becomes desirable to make a small angular adjustment between theratchet wheel 2| and the cylinder IIJ, the collar |9 is moved todisengage the clutch elements after which a knurled wheel 22 on theendof shaft II is turned through the desired angle, thereby turning thecylinder I0 through the sameangle, afterl which the collar I9 isreleased and the clutch surfaces engaged.

Cooperating with the teeth on the ratchet Wheel 2| is a pawl 23 pivotedat 24 to a lever 25 whichswings upon a pivot 26 mounted in the frame.pivotally connected thereto an adjustable link 21 to which is connecteda reciprocating rod 2B by means of which lever 25 is rocked. By anysuitable means, not shown, the rod 28 is operated in timed relation withthe hammers I6, previously described. The swing of the lever 25 may beregulated by suitable means, as for example by an adjustable connectionwith link 21 to cause the pawl 23 to engage every ratchet tooth, or toskip one tooth or two teeth, as may be desired. By this meanssingleydouble or treble spacing may be effected in a manner which willpresently appear.

The parts thus far described are regular equipment upon a computingmachine which is now in extensive commercial use, except that wesubstitute a special ratchet wheel with fewer teeth than the onefurnished with the machine. By this means the impression cylinder isgiven a complete revolution for a smaller number of reciprocations ofthe rod 28, and consequently each reciprocation advances the cylindersomewhat further than it would be advanced were the regular ratchetwheel employed.

'I'he shaft I, at the end opposite the ratchet 2|, carries a sprocketwheel 29 over which runs a chain 3D that extends alsoover a sprocketwheel 3| on a short shaft 32 that is mounted in the frame 33 of thelfeeder. The sprocket wheels 29 and 3| are of the same size. Shaft 32also carries a spur ,gear 34 Awhich meshes with another spur gear 35,that is'keyed to a shaft 3,6which is ro tatably mounted in the frame 33and extends .entirely across the same. The gear 35 has a greatf ernumber of teeth than thel gear,` 34, so that the rate of rotation of theshaft 3 6i s somewhat slower than that of shaft 32.. The de bars offrame 33 maybe connected together by tie rods 33. l v

Within the frame 33, at short distances from theopposite side wallsthereof, the shaft 35 carries two sprocket wheels 31 over which run twoconveyor chains 38. At the opposite end of the The lever 25,intermediate its ends, has

conveyor these chains are supported on sprocket wheels 39 keyed to ashaft 40 which is rotatably mounted at its ends in the frame of thefeeder. At an intermediate point of the conveyor, but nearer shaft 40than shaft 36, there is another idler shaft 4I upon which are keyedsprocket wheels 42 that also engage the chains 38. The wheels 31, 39 and42 are all of the same size. Both runs of the chains between thesprocket wheels 31 and 42 are taut. Between the wheels 42 and 39 thelower runs of the chains are taut,

but the upper runs are slack, that is there is a" greater length ofchain in each upper run between the wheels 39 and 42 than in thecorresponding lower run.

The chains are connected together at evenly spaced intervals bytransverse bars 43. Special links of the chains include small angleplates 44 which are attached to the ends of these bars. These speciallinks also carry a pair of rollers 45 which are engaged by upper andlower guide rails 46 on the frame, acting to maintain those links in ahorizontal position and prevent tilting of the bars 43. Between thesprocket wheels 42 and 31 all links of the upper chains run upon guiderails 41. In the present instance four bars 43 are used, but theirnumber may be varied as conditions require. In the case illustrated thechains are 44 inches long, and the bars are spaced 11 inches apart,thereby conforming with the 11 inch length of the units of the web beingfed.

In each bar 43 there are two holes 48, through which project pins 49that are straight for a portion of their length, but are provided withtapered or rounded extremities. These pins 49 have constricted threadedends which extend through` openings formed in transverse bars 50. Theshoulders formed by the restrictions rest against one side of the bar,and the pin is drawn up to and held in that position by a nut 5| bearingagainst the opposite side of the bar. The nut 5| is used also to attachto the bar 50 a springv52,

. the free end of which is connected with a post 53 that is anchored inthe corresponding bar 43 and extends through a smooth hole in bar 50 andin a guide block 54 attached to bar 50. The springs 52 tend to separatethe two bars 43 and 50, as shown at the bottom of Fig. 3.

The ends of bar 50 are bent at right angles to the body of the bar andcarry anti-friction rollers 55. These rollers run upon cam tracks 5Bsupported from the frame at opposite sides of the feeder and spacedinwardly somewhat from the rails 41. When a pair of these rollers moveupwardly upon the inclined surfaces at the rear ends of the cam tracks,the bar upon which they are mounted rises, and the pins 49 carried bythe bar are projected upwardly. The springs 52 are thereby flexed.Inasmuch as the bar 43 is held against tilting and the posts 53 areanchored inthat bar, and inasmuch as the movement of bar 50 is guided bythe posts 53 in the holes pro vided therefor in bar 5|) and block 54,.the pins 49 areheld in a vertical position as they rise. The uppersurface of cam. track 5B drops off suddenly at the forward end of thetrack as indicated at 9, permitting the springs 52 to depress the bar 50and pull the pins 49 downwardly. If for any reason the springs 52 shouldfail to function as intended, the pins will nevertheless be depressed asa table, extends over the top of practically the complete feeder, beingsecured to the frame by any suitable means. with longitudinal slots 59through which the pins 49 extend as they travel along the upper run ofthe conveyor. The web W rests upon and slides over this table in itstravel toward the printing line or zone. A pair of sheet metal coverplates E0 are attached to the table 58 by means of hinges 6I. Interposedbetween each cover plate and the table there is a spacer 62 serving tospace the cover plate slightly away from the table. This spacer ispreferably attached to the table. although it could be carried by thecover plate if desired. Each cover plate has a slot 63 which, when thecover plate is down, registers with the corresponding slot 59 so thatthe pins 49 may extend upwardly beyond the level of the cover plates.When any work is being placed in the machine the cover plates 60 areswung up on their hinges, and as soon as the work is in position theyare swung down again and permitted to rest upon the work which is thusheld flat against the table, the weight of the cover plates beingsufficient to accomplish this purpose.

The sheet of metal from which the table 58 is formed is continuedforwardly beyond the forward end of the table, as indicated at 64, to.constitute a curved and inclined bed over which the web passes in itstravel from the table to the impression cylinder I0. 65 is a cover forthis inclined bed 64, being spaced from the latter a distance suflicientto guide the web accurately .without interposing any needless friction.

In Fig. 7 we have illustrated a portion of a multi-ply web which may befed by the machine of the present invention. As illustrated, itcomprises a number of thicknesses or plies of paper, someof which may becarbon paper in order that several duplicate copies may be made, thisbeing desirable for instance where bills or invoices are being printed.One unit consisting of a form fora single invoice, comprising a numberof plies, is indicated at 66. Its ends are dened by transverseperforated lines 6l which extend through all the plies. If desired, thevarious plies of the web may be secured together, as by means of smallwire clips 68. When a unit has been printed upon and passed through themachine it may be torn from the web along a line 61. A pair of holes 69are punched through each unit in transverse alignment, these holes beingof a size to receive the straight part of pins 49 with a comparativelysnug t.

Operation- When the machine is to be set in operation, the cover plates60 are raised, a web is placed upon the table with holes 69 fittingwhatever pairs of pins 49 are projected above the surface of the tableat the time. The cover plates are then swung down and the web isadvanced so that its forward end moves between the inclined bed 64 andthe cover 65 and down around the impression cylinder |10. In order toguide it and hold it in operative relation with the cylinder we employsmall rollers Il), 'H and 72.

In the curved portion of the table V5B at the rear end thereof, weforni. two aligned slots 'I3 in which we mountadjustable guides 14jhaving guide flanges 'l5 and downturned lips' "16I and 1T which takeinto'theslots13. These guide members are held in adjustedpositionbymeans of` bolts 'IB extending through the slots and havingheads engaging the table on the under side thereof and wing nuts 'I9 forclamping the guides in place.

This table is provided These guides serve to so direct the Aincoming webas to insure a position for the same Y such that the perforations willcome in line with the pins 49.

When the position for the first line of writing on the rst unit comesopposite the line of print, it may or may'not coincide precisely withthe printed form on the unit. By the adjustment of the clutch l'ipreviously described however,

.it may be caused to coincide perfectly. The operator then sets themachine'ln operation. After each line is printed the pawl and ratchetmechansm acts to advance the cylinder IIJ one step. This movement of thecylinder acting through the sprocket 29, the chain 30 and the sprocket3l serves to impart the same angular movement to shaft 32, and by meansof gears 34 and 35 a somewhat smaller angular movement is imparted tothe shaft 3'6, with a corresponding straight line movement to the pins49. The parts of the driving mechanism are so proportioned and arrangedthat the pins 49 advance the work one printing space, butl the cylinderl0 turns through slightly more thanone space, and because of the slightfriction between the rubber covered roller and the web the latter isover-fed slightly, thereby removing any wrinkles which might otherwisetend to form between the foremost pins 49 and the roller. this over-feedof the roller results merely in slippage between the roller and thework, as the latter is not gripped between the roller HJ and theauxiliary rollers lil, H and l2. The latter rollers merely guide the webin its travel over the roller ill. The extent of the feedis controlledentirely by the pins 49. As an example of driving mechanism suitable foruse in the invention, it may be stated that the ratchet wheel 2i may beprovided with 28 teeth instead of the conventional number of 33, and thegears 34 and 35 may have 56 teeth and 66 teeth, respectively. Thesprockets for the chains 38 are the same size as those for the chain30', and as the ratio 28:33 is the same as the ratio 56:66, it will beapparent that the travel imparted to the web by the pins 49 is at thesame rate as would be imparted to the web by the cylinder l0 if thatcylinder were constituted to positively feed the web and were driven bya 33 tooth ratchet.

At about the time the forward edge of a web unit engages the rollel` l0,the pins 49 in engagement with that unit drop away and the ject into thepath of the web; The holes` in the web, being considerably larger thanthe tapered ends of the pins, are always able to receive the pins. Astherollers 55 run up the inclinedrear ends of the tracks 56, the pins 49`gradua11y rise. The pins are `free to move backward or forwardI inrelation to the regular rate of travel of the chains so astocomeintoaccurate alignment `with the holes, because the slack in thechains permits such movement. If the spacing between the holes ofsuccessive units is not quite accurate, or is aifected by expansion orcontraction Vofthe paper` subsequent to the punching of the It should beunderstood however thatv holes therein, this provision of slack in thechains nevertheless permits accurate registration between the holes andthe pins. As soon as the pins arrive above the axis of shaft 4I furtherrelative movement is impossible, but it is at about this time that thepair of pins next in advance drop away from the web. tendency for thepins to tear the paper or enlarge the holes. g H

It will be apparent that variations may be made in the-location of theholes in theweb and in the number of holes used in each unit. One holeand one pin may be sufficient when narrow strips are being fed. Othervariations from, the described structure may be employed. Accordinglywe. desire it to be understood that the scope of the invention is to beregarded as defined exclusively by the appended claims rather than bythe foregoing description or the accompanying illustrations.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. In an intermittent feeder for paper webs for use in connection with aprinting Vmachine adapted to make intermittent impressions transverselyof the web, traveling means engaging the web to the *rear of theprinting means moving with the web for a predetermined plurality ofintermittent web advancing movements and then releasing the web at apoint to the rear of the 'printing zone, actuating means operated insynchronism with the printing means for advancing the traveling meansstep by step, lateral guides for the web, and means operating forwardlyof said traveling means for tensioning the Web as it is pushed forwardto prevent movement lof the web in a direction normal to its surface,whereby buckling of the web in advance of the traveling means isprevented.

2. In a feeder for a multi-ply paper web upon which are printed units ofsubstantially the same length, said web having a series oflongitudinally aligned perforations one for each unit., saidperforations being spaced apart a distance equal to the length of aunit, a web advancing mechanism comprising an endless conveyor and aseries of moving pins carried thereby adapted to engage one afteranother in said perforations, and means for providing slack in the rearportion of the advancing run of the conveyor for permitting each pin asit comes into engagement with a perforation to depart slightly from itsnormal rate of travel until the pin next ahead begins to move out ofengagement with its perforation.

3. In a feeder for a multi-ply paper web upon which are printed units ofsubstantially the same length, said web having a series oflongitudinally aligned perforations one for each unit, said perforationsbeing spaced apart a distance equal to the length of a unit, a webadvancing mechanism comprising an endless conveyor and a. series ofmoving pins carried thereby adapted to engage one after another in saidperforations, means for providing slack in the rear portion of theadvancing run of the conveyor for permitting each pin as it comes intoengagement with a perforation to depart slightly from its normal rate oftravel until the pin next ahead begins to move out of engagement withits perforation, and means for thereafter holding the pin strictly toits normal rate of travel during the balance of its engagement with itsperforation.

4. In a web feeder of the class described, a conveyor'c'omprising anendless chain arranged in a vertical plane and provided at intervalswith pins adapted to engage perforations in the web, two

end sprocket wheels and an intermediate sprocket Hence there is no'wheel engaged by chain, a horizontal rail for supporting the forwardlymoving run of the chain between the intermediate and forward sprockets,the forwardly moving run of the chain between the intermediate and rearsprockets having slack therein, means between the intermediate and rearsprockets for guiding in a horizontal plane those chain links only whichcarry said pins, and cam means for moving the pins with respect to thechain in a direction toward the web during the movement of the pinsbetween the rear and intermediate sprockets.

5. In a feeder for paper webs provided at regular intervals withtransversely aligned perforations, a table over which the web runs, aconveyor arranged lengthwise of said table comprising a pair of endlessfiexible elements arranged in parallel vertical planes, transverse barsconnecting said elements at regular intervals, pairs of pins carried bysaid bars adapted to fit said perforations, said bars being spaced aparta distance approximately equal to the longitudinal distance betweenrperforations, and means for raising and lowering said bars with respectto the conveyor during the forward movement of the conveyor for causingeach pair of pins in succession to enter transversely alignedperforations, to travel for a distance in engagement with theperforations and then withdraw from the perforations after a succeedingpair of pins have engaged their perforations.

6. In a feeder for a multi-ply paper web upon which are printed units ofapproximately the same length, said web having pairs of transverselyaligned perforations spaced apart longitudinally a distance equal to thelength of a unit, an

Vendless conveyor, pairs of transversely aligned pins carried therebyadapted to engage one after another said pairs of transversely alignedperforations, and means for providing slack in the rear portion of theadvancing run of the conveyor for permitting each pair of pins as itcomes into engagement with a pair of perforations to depart slightlyfrom its normal rate of travel until the pins next ahead begin to moveout of engagement with their perforations.

7. In a feeder for a multi-ply paper web upon which are printed units ofapproximately the same length, said web having pairs of transverselyaligned perforations spaced apart longitudinally a distance equal to thelength of a unit, an endless conveyor, pairs of transversely alignedpins carried thereby adapted to engage one after another said pairs oftransversely aligned perforations, means for providing slack in the rearportion of the advancing run of the conveyor for permitting each pair ofpins as it comes into engagement with a pair of perforations to departslightly from its normal rate of travel until the pins next ahead beginto move out of engagement with their perforations, and means forthereafter holding said first named pair of pins strictly to theirnormal rate of travel during the balance of their engagementwith theperforations.

8. In a machine for feeding a web, an intermittently rotating'impressioncylinder, means for guiding the web around a. portion of the peripheryof the cylinder, web feeding means arranged to the rear of the cylinder,and means adapted to be actuated from the impression cylinder fordriving said web feeding means, said web feeding means being adapted toadvance the web at each step a distance slightly less than therotational movement of the periphery of the cylinder.

9 In a machine for feeding a web, an impression cylinder having anintermittent small angle rotation, means for guiding the web around aportion of the cylinder and for holding it against thc cylinder inprinting position while permitting slippage, and means for pushing theweb forwardly toward the cylinder intermittently a distance less thanthe intermittent peripheral movement of the cylinder.

l0. In a web feeder of the class described, a conveyor comprising anendless chain arranged -in a vertical plane and provided at intervalswith pins adapted to engage perforations inthe web` two end sprocketwheels and an intermediate sprocket wheel engaged by said chain, meansfor driving the forward cnd sprocket wheel, a'supporting guide for thelower run of the chain whereby the chain is maintained in engagementwith the lower teeth of all three of the sprocket wheels, theintermediate and rear end sprocket wheels being spaced to provide slackin the upper run of the chain between the latter sprocket wheels.

11. In a web feeder of the class described, a conveyor comprising anendless chain arranged in a vertical plane and provided at intervalswith pins adapted to engage perforations in the web,

two end sprocket wheels and an intermediate sprocket wheel engaged bysaid chain, means for driving the forward end sprocket wheel, asupporting guide for the lower run of the chain whereby the chain ismaintained inengagement with the lower teeth of al1 three of thesprocket wheels, the forwardly moving run of the chain between theintermediate and rear sprocket wheels, having slack therein, and meansbetween the intermediate and rear sprocket wheels for guiding in ahorizontal plane those chain links only which carry said pins.

12. A machine of the character set forth, comprising: a rotatable platenprovided with cooperating presser means for feeding stationery providedwith register perforations into typing position on said platen; andmovable aligning mechanism on the receiving side of the platen havingendless belts provided with pins adapted to engage said perforations andhold the stationery in alignment while advancing towards said platen,said endless belts being driven in timed relation to the rotation of theplaten so as to retard the advance of said stationery.

vRAYMOND B. Do'rY.

FRED A. Ross.

